I decided I wanted to pursue a career as a patent attorney whilst still at university, having completed an internship in the patents department of a large pharmaceutical company during my undergraduate degree. During this opportunity I had the chance to work on real cases, draft responses to the European Patent Office, and review patents and prior art documents in advance of oral proceedings. I quickly realised that the role of a patent attorney was well-suited to my skillset as I have always enjoyed reading, assimilating information, and developing written arguments. As a patent attorney, I am able to combine these skills with my passion for science, keeping up to date with new developments in the field and constantly learning about new areas of technology.

Following my Master’s degree in Neuroscience at King’s College London, and briefly working as a Research Assistant in a molecular biology lab, I started my job at Mathys & Squire in 2021. Becoming a trainee patent attorney really is a steep learning curve as you gain so much knowledge in a short space of time, but it is also very rewarding, and I love the variety of work I see day-to-day and the broad subject areas that my role covers.

The first year in the role is almost completely on-the-job training, including diving into real cases and drafting responses from the very first few weeks. I had the opportunity to work with a range of clients, carry out patent prosecution work as well as work on more complex opposition cases and attend oral proceedings. After completing my first year, I then attended the PGCert Intellectual Property Law course at Queen Mary University of London, studying four days a week and working in the London Office once per week. I have since started preparation for the UK final exams.

Mathys & Squire has great training opportunities for trainee patent attorneys, with ‘enrichment sessions’ for new starters to learn the basic tenets of patent law, and multiple tutorials each week for those preparing to sit qualifying exams. Having a large cohort of trainees at the firm really makes a difference as there is an extensive support network both at your own level and a year or two ahead of you. There is also a cohesive atmosphere in the firm with social events running throughout the year, the summer and Christmas parties being particular highlights!